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April 2015 Current Events: Disasters & Science News

Here are the key events in science and disasters news for the month of April 2015.

Ship Capsizes in Mediterranean Killing Hundreds of Migrants (Apr. 19): Hundreds of migrants are missing and feared dead after their ship capsizes and sinks in the Mediterranean Sea. Many are trapped in the ship at the bottom of the deep sea, off the Libyan coast. According to a statement made by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the ship carried 850 people and only 28 are known to have survived. It is the deadliest incident in the Mediterranean involving refugees. The wreck brings the total number of migrants who have died so far this year while attempting the passage to approximately 1,600. (Apr. 21): According to officials in Sicily, the incident occurred when the ship's captain steered the vessel into a Portuguese merchant ship that was attempting to rescue it. After the collision, the migrants all shifted to one side of the boat, causing it to capsize, Sicilian officials say in a statement.

Earthquake Kills Thousands, Destroys Several Historic Landmarks (Apr. 25): A magnitude-7.8 earthquake strikes central Nepal, near the capital, Katmandu, killing nearly 4,000 people, injuring tens of thousands, and damaging or destroying thousands of structures, including the treasured Dharahara Tower and the temple complex Bhaktapur Durbar Square. It causes avalanches on Mt. Everest, which kills at least 17 people. The earthquake is felt throughout the country and affects others in Asia. Continuous aftershocks complicate rescue efforts and further traumatize a nation stunned by catastrophic loss. Nepal's rugged, mountainous terrain makes the search for survivors and attempts to deliver food and medical supplies to affected areas perilous endeavors. Seismologists have predicted an earthquake would hit Nepal, but the country was ill-prepared for a disaster of this scale.